I studied Physiotherapy from 1983-1986. I did my first osteopathic course in 1993 and after several of these courses I decided to sign in for the 5-year- Study- Program to become an Osteopath.
I became a Naturopath in 2003 and studied 2,5 years of Homeopathy (2005-2007).
After working in different clinics from 1986 until 1997 I had my own clinic in Hamburg, 1997 to 2007.
Osteopath or Osteopathic Manual Therapist?
In Germany- and the European Union- I am considered a fully licensed Osteopath. You have to be either a physiotherapist, a naturopath or a physician to enter the 5-year-trainig programm to become an osteopath. I started out as a physiotherapist and I am a naturopath, too. But I am not a physician. In Canada and the U.S.A., though, you are only allowed to call yourself an osteopath, when you are also a physician. The osteopathic training itself is not different, it is the legal status. So while I treat my german patients as an osteopath, I treat my canadian patients only as an osteopathic manual therapist.
There are training programs in Canada now that only take a few months. As Osteopathy is not a legally protected profession in Canada everybody can call her- or himself an osteopath. So if you want to make sure, that the therapist whom you are seeing for osteopathic treatments is trained in the ideal of Dr. Still, the founder of Osteopathy, you look for somebody with a 4-5 years training program.
Osteopathy is not something you can learn quickly. It takes a long time and continuing practise and dedication in order to develop the fine senses to feel all that is going on in the body.
The members of the Albertan Association of Osteopathic Manual Therapists all participated in long term training programs.
You will find a therapist's guide on the website.
I am a member of the
AAOMT Albertan Association of Osteopathic Manual Therapists(www.osteopathyalberta.com)
VOD Verein der Osteopathen Deutschland (Associaton of Osteopaths of Germany) (www.ostheopathie.de)
SCCO (Sutherland Cranial College of Osteopathy) (www.scco.ac)
I was born and raised in Stuttgart, Germany, lived a long time in Freiburg and even longer in Hamburg.
Now I am living and working in Alberta, Canada.
Several times a year I am also still working in Germany. I work with my patients, teach post graduate courses for osteopaths and I work as an interpreter for osteopathic courses.
Besides that I am translating specialist literature on osteopathy.
